Friday#Religious observances

File:FriggSpinning.jpg spinning the clouds, by John Charles Dollman]]

In the seven-day week introduced in the Roman Empire in the first century CE, the days were named after the classical planets of Hellenistic astrology (the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn).{{Cite web |date=2016-05-28 |title=Days of the Week Meaning and Origin |url=http://astrologyclub.org/days-week-meaning-origin/ |access-date=2016-12-25 |website=Astrologyclub.org}} The English name Friday comes from the Old English {{lang|ang|frīġedæġ}}, meaning the "day of Frig", a result of an old convention associating the Nordic goddess Frigg with the Roman goddess Venus after whom the planet was named; the same holds for {{lang|goh|Frīatag}} in Old High German, {{lang|de|Freitag}} in Modern German, and {{lang|nl|vrijdag}} in Dutch.

The expected cognate name in Old Norse would be {{lang|non|friggjar-dagr}}. The name of Friday in Old Norse is {{lang|non|frjá-dagr}} instead, indicating a loan of the week-day names from Low German;Hermann Paul, {{lang|de|Grundriss der germanischen philologie}}, vol 3, 1900, p. 369. however, the modern Faroese name is {{lang|fo|fríggjadagur}}. The modern Scandinavian form is {{lang|sv|fredag}} in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, meaning Freyja's day. The distinction between Freyja and Frigg in some Germanic mythologies is contested.

The word for Friday in most Romance languages is derived from Latin {{lang|la|dies Veneris}} or "day of Venus" (a translation of Greek {{lang|grc-Latn|Aphrodī́tēs hēméra}}, {{lang|grc|Ἀφροδίτης Ἡμέρα}}), such as {{lang|fr|vendredi}} in French, {{lang|gl|venres}} in Galician, {{lang|ca|divendres}} in Catalan, {{lang|co|vennari}} in Corsican, {{lang|it|venerdì}} in Italian, {{lang|ro|vineri}} in Romanian, and {{lang|es|viernes}} in Spanish and influencing the Filipino {{lang|fil|biyernes}} or {{lang|fil|byernes}}, and the Chamorro {{lang|ch|betnes}}. This is also reflected in the p-Celtic Welsh language as {{lang|cy|Gwener}}.

An exception is Portuguese, also a Romance language, which uses the word {{lang|pt|sexta-feira}}, meaning "sixth day of liturgical celebration", derived from the Latin {{lang|la|feria sexta}} used in religious texts where consecrating days to pagan gods was not allowed. Another exception among the Romance languages is also Sardinian, in which the word {{lang|sc|chenàpura}} is derived from Latin {{lang|la|cena pura}}. This name had been given by the Jewish community exiled to the island in order to designate the food specifically prepared for Shabbat eve.{{cite web|url=http://www.midesa.it/cgi-bin/show?art=Tonzanu.htm|title=Sa limba sarda|access-date=30 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227114118/http://www.midesa.it/cgi-bin/show?art=Tonzanu.htm|archive-date=27 February 2017|url-status=dead}}

In Arabic, Friday is {{lang|ar|الجمعة}} {{lang|ar-Latn|al-jumʿah}}, from a root meaning "congregation/gathering." In languages of Islamic countries outside the Arab world, the word for Friday is commonly a derivation of this: (Malay Jumaat {{small|(Malaysia)}} or Jumat {{small|(Indonesian)}}, Turkish {{lang|tr|cuma}}, Persian/Urdu {{lang|fa|جمعه}}, {{lang|fa-Latn|jumʿa}}) and Swahili (Ijumaa).

In modern Greek, four of the words for the week-days are derived from ordinals. However, the Greek word for Friday is {{lang|el-Latn|Paraskevi}} ({{lang|el|Παρασκευή}}) and is derived from a word meaning "to prepare" ({{lang|el|παρασκευάζω}}). Like Saturday ({{lang|el-Latn|Savvato}}, {{lang|el|Σάββατο}}) and Sunday ({{lang|el-Latn|Kyriaki}}, {{lang|el|Κυριακή}}), Friday is named for its liturgical significance as the day of preparation before Sabbath, which was inherited by Greek Christian Orthodox culture from Jewish practices.

Friday was formerly a Christian fast day; this is the origin of the Irish {{lang|ga|Dé hAoine}}, Scottish Gaelic {{lang|gd|Di-Haoine}}, Manx {{lang|gv|Jeheiney}} and Icelandic {{lang|is|föstudagur}}, all meaning "fast day".

In both biblical and modern Hebrew, Friday is {{lang|he|יום שישי}} {{lang|he-Latn|Yom Shishi}} meaning "the sixth day".

In most Indian languages, Friday is Shukravāra, named for {{lang|sa-Latn|Shukra}}, the planet Venus. In Bengali {{lang|bn|শুক্রবার}} or {{lang|bn-Latn|Shukrobar}} is the 6th day in the Bengali week of Bengali Calendar and is the beginning of the weekend in Bangladesh. In Tamil, the word for Friday is velli, also a name for Venus; and in Malayalam it is velliyalca.

In Japanese, {{nihongo|金曜日|きんようび|kinyōbi}} is formed from the words {{nihongo|金星|きんせい|kinsei}} meaning Venus (lit. gold + planet) and {{nihongo|曜日|ようび|yōbi}} meaning day (of the week).

In the Korean language, it is {{lang|ko|금요일}} in Korean Hangul writing (Romanization: {{lang|ko-Latn|geumyoil}}), and is the pronounced form of the written word {{lang|zh|金曜日}} in Chinese characters, as in Japanese.

In Chinese, Friday is 星期五 xīngqíwǔ meaning "fifth day of the week".

In the Nahuatl language, Friday is {{lang|nah|quetzalcōātōnal}} ({{IPA|nah|ket͡saɬkoːaːˈtoːnaɬ|}}) meaning "day of Quetzalcoatl".

Most Slavic languages call Friday the "fifth (day)": Belarusian {{lang|be|пятніца}} – {{lang|be-Latn|pyatnitsa}}, Bulgarian {{lang|bg|петък}} – {{lang|bg-Latn|petŭk}}, Czech {{lang|cs|pátek}}, Polish {{lang|pl|piątek}}, Russian {{lang|ru|пятница}} – {{lang|ru-Latn|pyatnitsa}}, Serbo-Croatian {{lang|sh|петак}} – {{lang|sh-Latn|petak}}, Slovak {{lang|sk|piatok}}, Slovene {{lang|sl|petek}}, and Ukrainian {{lang|uk|п'ятниця}} – {{lang|uk-Latn|p'yatnitsya}}. The Hungarian word {{lang|hu|péntek}} is a loan from the Slavic Pannonian dialect. The n in {{lang|hu|péntek}} suggests an early adoption from Slavic, when many Slavic dialects still had nasal vowels. In modern Slavic languages only Polish retained nasal vowels.Days of the week in Hungarian, Csaba Bán, 21 November 2011, http://csabahungariantranslations.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/days-of-the-week-in-hungarian/; accessed 6 August 2016

Friday is considered unlucky in some cultures. This is particularly so in maritime circles; perhaps the most enduring sailing superstition is that it is unlucky to begin a voyage on a Friday.{{Citation |last=Bassett |first=Fletcher S. |author-link=Fletcher S. Bassett |title=Legends and Superstitions of the Sea and of Sailors in All Lands and at All Times |publisher=S. Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington |year=1885 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PkIKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA445 |isbn=0-548-22818-3}}{{Citation |last=Vigor |first=John |title=The Practical Encyclopedia of Boating |publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional |year=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VLg6Lx5yRP0C&q=hms+friday&pg=RA1-PA258 |isbn=0-07-137885-5}} In the 19th century, Admiral William Henry Smyth described Friday in his nautical lexicon The Sailor's Word-Book as:

{{bquote|The {{lang|la|Dies Infaustus}}, on which old seamen were desirous of not getting under weigh, as ill-omened.{{Citation |last=Smyth |first=William Henry |author-link=William Henry Smyth |title=The Sailor's Word-Book |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |year=1991 |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26000 |isbn=0-85177-972-7}}}}

({{lang|la|Dies Infaustus}} means "unlucky day".{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dies%20infaustus |work=Merriam-Webster Online |title=dies infaustus |access-date=2008-09-27 }}) This superstition is the root of the well-known urban legend of {{HMS|Friday}}.

In modern times since the Middle Ages, Friday the 13th and Friday the 17th are considered to be especially unlucky, due to the conjunction of Friday with the unlucky numbers thirteen and seventeen. Such a Friday may be called a "Black Friday".{{cite web| url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/110513-friday-the-13th-superstitions-triskaidekaphobia| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411102959/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/110513-friday-the-13th-superstitions-triskaidekaphobia| url-status=dead| archive-date=April 11, 2021|author=John Roach|title=Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More|website=National Geographic Society |date=2014-05-14|access-date=2023-05-03}}

However, this superstition is not universal, notably in Hispanic, Greek and Scottish Gaelic culture:

{{bquote|Though Friday (and especially those falling on the 13th and 17th) has always been held an unlucky day in many Christian countries, still in the Hebrides it is supposed that it is a lucky day for sowing the seed. Good Friday in particular is a favourite day for potato planting—even strict Roman Catholics make a point of planting a bucketful on that day. Probably the idea is that as the Resurrection followed the Crucifixion, and Burial so too in the case of the seed, and after death will come life?{{Citation |last=Dwelly |first=Edward |author-link=Edward Dwelly |title=Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary |publisher=Gairm Publications |year=1988 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dP1eIAAACAAJ |isbn=0-901771-92-9 }} {{Dead link|date=June 2010}}}} In Hispanic and Greek cultures, Tuesday is the unlucky day, specifically the 13th.

Popularly, Fridays are seen as days of good luck and happiness, since it is the last day of a work week as well as many school weeks that end every Friday.

File:François Boucher 011.jpg

In astrology, Friday is connected with the planet Venus and is symbolized by that planet's symbol ♀. Friday is also associated with the astrological signs Libra and Taurus.

Modern nursery rhymes claim that 'Friday's child is loving and giving', yet in 1775, children born on a Friday were described as having a 'strong constitution, but very involved in the romances; and if female, She is in great danger of turning into questionable moral behaviors'{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:Book_of_knowledge_(1).pdf|title=Index:Book of knowledge (1).pdf - Wikisource, the free online library|website=en.wikisource.org}}

File:Guillemot, Alexandre Charles - Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan - Google Art Project.jpg

File:The Toilet of Venus, by François Boucher.jpg

File:François Boucher - La toilette de Vénus - PPP2498 - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris.jpg

{{Main|Friday fast}}

In Christianity, Good Friday is the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. Adherents of many Christian denominations including the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Methodist, and Anglican traditions observe the Friday fast, which traditionally includes abstinence from meat, lacticinia, and alcohol on Fridays of the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.ststephenlutheranchurch.org/pdf/Disciplines%20of%20Lent-%20Handbook.pdf|title=A Handbook for the Discipline of Lent|last=Weitzel|first=Thomas L.|year=1978|publisher=Evangelical Lutheran Church in America|language=en|access-date=17 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317164940/http://www.ststephenlutheranchurch.org/pdf/Disciplines%20of%20Lent-%20Handbook.pdf|archive-date=17 March 2018|url-status=live}}

Traditionally, Roman Catholics were obliged to refrain from eating the meat of warm-blooded animals{{Cite web|url=https://join.catholicfinanciallife.org/blog/why-abstain-from-meat-on-fridays-but-eat-fish|title=Why Abstain from Meat on Fridays, but Eat Fish?|publisher=Catholic Financial Life|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329090039/https://join.catholicfinanciallife.org/blog/why-abstain-from-meat-on-fridays-but-eat-fish|archive-date=2019-03-29|url-status=dead}} on Fridays, although fish was allowed. The Filet-O-Fish was invented in 1962 by Lou Groen, a McDonald's franchise owner in Cincinnati, Ohio,{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-02-20-fish2-usat_x.htm|title=No fish story: Sandwich saved his McDonald's|website=USA Today|access-date=2019-08-14}} in response to falling hamburger sales on Fridays resulting from the Roman Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays.{{Cite web|url=https://catholicism.org/why-do-catholics-eat-fish-on-friday-2.html|title=Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday?|last=Villarrubia|first=Eleonore|date=2010-02-16|website=Catholicism.org|language=en|access-date=2019-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814130338/https://catholicism.org/why-do-catholics-eat-fish-on-friday-2.html|archive-date=2019-08-14|url-status=dead}}

In the present day, episcopal conferences are now authorized to allow some other form of penance to replace abstinence from meat. The 1983 Code of Canon Law states:

:Canon 1250. The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

:Canon 1251. Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

:Canon 1253. The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.{{Cite web|url=http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P4M.HTM|title=Code of Canon Law: text - IntraText CT|website=intratext.com}}

The Book of Common Prayer prescribes weekly Friday fasting and abstinence from meat for all Anglicans.{{cite web|url=http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/info/tables/rules.html|title=Tables and Rules.|access-date=30 December 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.prayerbook.ca/bcp/fasting.html |title=Days of Fasting, Abstinence and Solemn Prayer, Book of Common Prayer, Canada (1962) |date=14 August 2007 |access-date=30 December 2016 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814210627/http://www.prayerbook.ca/bcp/fasting.html |archive-date=14 August 2007}}{{cite book|editor-first1=Daniel|editor-last1=Cobb|editor-first2=Derek|editor-last2=Olsen|title=Saint Augustine's Prayer Book|pages=4–5}}

In Methodism, the Directions Given to Band Societies (25 December 1744) mandate for all Methodists fasting and abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year.{{cite book |last1=McKnight |first1=Scot |title=Fasting: The Ancient Practices |date=2010 |publisher=Thomas Nelson |isbn=9781418576134 |pages=88 |language=English|quote=John Wesley, in his Journal, wrote on Friday, August 17, 1739, that "many of our society met, as we had appointed, at one in the afternoon and agreed that all members of our society should obey the Church to which we belong by observing 'all Fridays in the year' as 'days of fasting and abstinence.'}}

The Eastern Orthodox Church continues to observe Fridays (as well as Wednesdays) as fast days throughout the year (with the exception of several fast-free periods during the year). Fasting on Fridays entails abstinence from meat or meat products (i.e., quadrupeds), poultry, and dairy products (as well as fish). Unless a feast day occurs on a Friday, the Orthodox also abstain from using oil in their cooking and from alcoholic beverages (there is some debate over whether abstention from oil involves all cooking oil or only olive oil). On particularly important feast days, fish may also be permitted. For the Orthodox, Fridays throughout the year commemorate the Crucifixion of Christ and the {{lang|el-Latn|Theotokos}} (Mother of God), especially as she stood by the foot of the cross. There are hymns in the {{lang|el-Latn|Octoekhos}} which reflect this liturgically. These include {{lang|el-Latn|Theotokia}} (hymns to the Mother of God) which are chanted on Wednesdays and Fridays called {{lang|el-Latn|Stavrotheotokia}} ("Cross-{{lang|el-Latn|Theotokia}}"). The dismissal at the end of services on Fridays begins with the words: "May Christ our true God, through the power of the precious and life-giving cross...."

Quakers traditionally referred to Friday as "Sixth Day", eschewing the pagan origins of the name.{{cite web |url=http://iymc.org/calendarnames.html |title=Guide to Quaker Calendar Names |author= |publisher=Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) |access-date=30 March 2017 |quote=In the 20th Century, many Friends began accepting use of the common date names, feeling that any pagan meaning has been forgotten. The numerical names continue to be used, however, in many documents and more formal situations."}} In Slavic countries, it is called "Fifth Day" ({{langx|pl|piątek}}, {{langx|ru|пятница}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|pyatnitsa}}).

The day is named after Shukra son of Bhrigu and Kavyamata (Usana). In Hinduism, special observances are practiced for forms of the Devi, such as Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali, Parvati, Annapurna, Gayatri, or Santoshi Mata on Friday. Fridays are important for married ladies and they worship the goddesses on that day.

{{Main article|Friday prayer}}

In Islam, Friday (from sun-down Thursday to sun-down Friday) is the day of communion, of praying together, the holy day of Muslims. Friday observance includes attendance at a Masjid (mosque) for congregation prayer or Salat Al Jumu'ah. It is considered a day of peace and mercy (see Jumu'ah).

File:UTM-friday.JPG Friday prayer at a mosque in Malaysia]]

According to some Islamic traditions, the day is stated to be the original holy day ordained by God, but that now Jews and Christians recognize the days after.{{Href|bukhari|876|b=yl}}Hava Lazarus-Yafeh. "Muslim Festivals". Numen 25.1 (1978), p. 60 In some Islamic countries, the week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday, just like the Jewish week and the week in some Christian countries. The week begins on Saturday and ends on Friday in most other Islamic countries, such as Somalia, and Iran. Friday is also the day of rest in the Baháʼí Faith.{{Citation |first=Shoghi |last=Effendi |author-link= Shoghi Effendi |author2=The Universal House of Justice |editor= Hornby, Helen |year= 1983 |title= Lights of Guidance: A Baháʼí Reference File |publisher= Baháʼí Publishing Trust, New Delhi, India |isbn= 81-85091-46-3 |url= http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance | pages = 109}} In some Malaysian states, Friday is the first week-end day, with Saturday the second, to allow Muslims to perform their religious obligations on Friday.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2013/11/23/johor-weekend-rest-day/|title=Johor to have Friday, Saturday weekend rest days from Jan 1 – Nation – The Star Online|date=November 23, 2013 |access-date=30 December 2016}} Sunday is the first working day of the week for governmental organizations.

Muslims are recommended not to fast on a Friday by itself (makruh, recommended against, but not haram, religiously forbidden), unless it is accompanied with fasting the day before (Thursday) or day after (Saturday), or it corresponds with days usually considered good for fasting (i.e. Day of Arafah or Ashura), or it falls within one's usual religious fasting habits (i.e. fasting every other day), then it is completely permissible.{{Cite web|url=https://mawdoo3.com/حكم_صيام_يوم_الجمعة|title=حكم صيام يوم الجمعة|website=موضوع|language=ar|access-date=2019-08-14}}

Muslims believe Friday as "Syed-ul-Ayyam" meaning King of days. A narration in Sahih Muslim describes the importance of Friday as follows.

"Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah as saying: {{bq|The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it, Adam was created. on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it. And the last hour will take place on no day other than Friday.|{{Href|muslim|854b|b=yl}}}}

The Qur'an also has a surah (chapter) called Al-Jumu'ah (The Friday).{{qref|62|b=y}}

Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. There is a Jewish custom to fast on the Friday of the week of Chukat.

• Black Friday refers to any one of several historical disasters that happened on Fridays, and, in a general sense, to any Friday the thirteenth.
• In the United States, Black Friday is also the nickname of the day after Thanksgiving, the first day of the traditional Christmas shopping season.
• Casual Friday (also called Dress-down, Aloha or Country and Western Friday) is a relaxation of the formal dress code employed by some corporations for the last day of the working week.
• Good Friday is the Friday before Easter in the Christian liturgical calendar. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus.
• Jumu'atul-Wida (Farewell Friday) is the last Friday of Ramadan, the fasting month in Islam.

• Greta Thunberg's School strike for climate usually occurs on Fridays, and the movement is also called Fridays for Future.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47242477|title=Climate strike|publisher=BBC|language=en|author=Matt McGrath|date=15 February 2019|access-date=24 June 2019}}
• Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster celebrates every Friday as a holy day.
• While the phrase "Thank God It's Friday" can be traced back to a newspaper column first published in 1904 in a New York newspaper The Independent, Alan Stillman, owner of a New York City bar named TGI Fridays trademarked the phrase and used it as a brand for a popular chain of restaurant bars. The phrase now is used worldwide without regard to religion to express joy in anticipation of the weekend.M Bahktiari. Thank God It's Friday...Oh, Wait, It's Monday. Medium. URL:https://medium.com/@mbakhtiari/thank-god-its-friday-oh-wait-it-s-monday-98bd25e54e8a. 20 September, 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2025.

• ISO 8601

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5 Friday

Category:Aphrodite

Category:Frigg

Category:Freyja